Withstand the Storm
by wolfsrainrules
Summary: Izumi of the Midori Clan is a spiritually powerful human, capable of battling demons. Not that she does, Kacchan makes sure of that. Plus, she has her bakery to run. She much prefers demons to humans anyway. (Katsuki had long ago decided a human wouldn't be good enough for his sister, so he sets out to find someone worthy of her. Kirishima is just the only one he likes)


**When I say 'AU' I really, REALLY mean AU. FemIzuku, No Quirks, Demon/Youkai AU, FemIzuku/Kirishima, GoodDadEnji, Enji/Rei, Eventual Toshi/Inko, Brotherly/Wingman Katsuki, the entire shebang, **

* * *

The Devil whispers

'You cannot withstand the storm'

The Warrior replies

'I **am** the Storm.'

~Jake Remington

* * *

The Rift had opened a little over two hundred years before. It was this opening in space that had provided the first of what would become known as 'demons' the ability to walk the earth.

In the wake of that event, the world- terrified and remembering every warning whispered into their ears since the dark ages- would adapt. There were humans around that had spiritual gifts, that could power wards and runes, that had some holy leanings and could protect humans from those who were demonic in nature.

As time would pass, some would come to accept that those they called 'demons' were more akin to the Youkai of legends, and while some were everything they had been warned about, others were wonderful people.

Even still, as time passed, while demons were more accepted in society, they were still discriminated against. Humans had spent thousands of years before the Rift being told demons were 'evil' that they were 'bad' that they were to be feared and hated. A meastly two hundred years between the opening of the Rift, and the acceptance that demons _would_ be walking amongst the population, was not enough time to rid the human race of ingrained reactions and knowledge.

And beyond even that fact, there were those who acted to help demon kind, who looked at this new species and rather than hate, treated them with respect and caution. They were a rare few, those who set aside what _should be_ known, and accepted demon kind as its own set of people with good and bad members, just as humanity.

The Midori Clan, later called Midoriya, was one of those clans that sought to learn about demon-kind once it became clear they would be settling amongst humans. They were one of the first to learn that demons weren't so much _demons_ as they were mislabeled youkai spirits, though they still carried some aspects that would be labeled as 'demonic' in nature.

One of the firsts to mingle with those of a supernatural inclination.

As a result, they were a clan that would gain the same spiritual powers most used to protect themselves from demons, without the values most temples and holy people were raised to carry about demon and demon-kind. The Midori Clan had gone on, from that point forward, to help many demons throughout the centuries since the Rift opened. Either in returning to their Realms, blending with the people, or finding them safe places.

A bit over two centuries after the Rift opened, and demons were a common sight amongst the populace. They were more widely accepted than they had been, but still suffered discrimination and prejudice views in most towns. Even with schools adapting to teach about demons, their aspects, instincts and habits, most humans never bothered to learn anything beyond what was needed for their job, or the bare minimum they received in their primary schooling. And through habit, and caution, those who were taught at shrines and schools for those with spiritual gifts, were always- lest they learned from an apprenticeship, and even that was rare- taught how to _fight_ demons, to be wary and alert with them.

It was a cycle that only made itself worse.

And yet, hundreds of years later, the Midori Clan- now Midoriya- still worked to help those with demonic lineage.

Midoriya Inko had earned her degree, and was well known to be a fair and just lawyer that would go to court for anyone- demonic or human- and fight to get her clients exactly what they deserved. She was known to not tolerate any sort of court ruling, jury or judge that allowed a person's species to dictate how a case would be ruled. She worked on logic and fact and evidence, and she expected everyone she worked with to operate the same way.

Midoriya Izumi, on the other hand, had opened her own bakery cafe- know to the locals as _Plus Ultra Bakery_, that is, it was known as The PUB- and it was well loved throughout the town.

_(Kacchan had laughed for ages when he found out her bakery was referred to as 'the pub'. That it was more popular than the _actual _bar in town. Kurogiri- the shadow demon who ran it- didn't even argue, he often showed up for treats himself.)_

Part of her popularity was due to the fact that the entire town knew her bakery was a safespace for everyone, that Izumi would not tolerate prejudice or racist behaviors from _anyone_ in the establishment. She had layered runes and wards together to ensure that those who entered did so with good intentions. It wasn't a foolproof method, as those who were powerful enough could ignore the runes and wards layered into her building, but it kept most of the masses out of her bakery if they had intentions of causing problems.

Even still, Izumi had worked defenses into her walls for the event someone _did_ manage to get in and aim to cause injuries or chaos.

The other reason her bakery had such well known reputation was the clientele that visited the establishment.

Most of her customers were youkai.

Granted, she had humans, but it was mostly the demons who would take their food and linger. Spending their time in a truly safe place with those of their own kind. That she had a 'specialty menu' meant for dishes catering to youkai dietary needs, and had been raised as a nest-mate to their kind, and knew and _responded_ to the nonverbal instinctive cues of youkai only made her establishment a place with a hefty amount of pull and respect.

Izumi's bakery was rather large and it doubled as something like a restaurant because Izumi liked to experiment with breads, which led to sandwiches and sometimes her customers requested this or that.

One thing led to another and soon her bakery was more eatery, with a focus on baked goods.

Quite honestly, she was delighted. The PUB had been her dream, one she was living. It all started with her childhood friend, whose mom was _her_ mother's best friend.

* * *

Bakugou Katsuki was a son of Wrath and War.

He was a rare combination of demon, as most often those with an aspect of Wrath did not-_could no_t- coexist with another youkai whose aspect was War. They would fight each other, clash, leaving ruin and destruction in their wake.

The thing that had allowed his parents to be unique, was their very natures. Every Wrath aspect had _something_, a particular concept or person, or event, that they would rage _over._ They were not a directionless fury, not a youkai that was lost to their anger. There were Clans of wrath aspect youkai, and each clan was identified by the color of their hair.

It was possible that a Wrath born to one clan would find their nature more suited for another, but even then, their hair would color to reflect that nature in truth. Every Wrath youkai would start with ash-like greyish white hair, like charcoal left to burn, but as their natures settled, and what stirred their nature became apparent it would begin to change.

Those with red hair went to war for the oppressed, for the desperate, and for righteous vengeance.

Those who went to war for pleasure, for the thrill of killing, for senseless aimless violence, for the sake of violence in and of itself, had black hair that looked like it dripped and shined with blood.

Those who had white hair- a brighter, more silvery tone to the ash-white everyone started out with- were those who raged on the behalf of children and for freedom.

Bakugou Mitsuki was a blonde Wrath, and that meant that she would rage and fight, go to war, on behalf of the innocent, that she raged to _protect_ and shield.

Bakugou Masaru on the other hand was a War aspect.

Most often, war would lead to senseless violence and fighting. Most often war lead to territory disputes or fighting over resources. _This_ was the reason that most War-Wrath pairs did not work, as a Wrath demon who did not carry black hair did not see much value in that kind of fighting. They would most often be triggered to _fight_ the War youkai- there were quite a few who were oppressed, desperate, who longed for righteous vengeance, or needed to be protected during a war. There was freedom and children to be protected, and raged on behalf of.

Bakugou Masaru on the other hand, was a War aspect that leaned more towards _strategic_ war. He did not desire an all out battle, but rather chose his fights with care. And in this, he had caught Mitsuki's attentions. That Masaru most often put his tactical mind to use protecting those weaker than himself, those that needed to escape the wars his brethren caused had only endeared him to Mitsuki.

And so, in the end, when Masaru had asked Mitsuki to be his life-mate she had said yes.

_(That Masaru had asked in the middle of a war Mitsuki had started on behalf of a group of cubs, where he had risen to her side, to be her equal, and guiding light in the midst of bloody war, had only helped his case.)_

Bakugou Katsuki was his parents son. He was a youkai who would go to war for those he considered his own, for those who needed his protection. As a child he had been more prone to lashing out in anger, but as he aged it would become clear that he had inherited the best of both his parents- all the power and destructive ability of a Wrath aspect, honed and focused by the strategic nature of his father's warring nature.

As Midoriya Inko and Bakugou Mitsuki had been best friends since childhood, when Inko bought a rundown shrine in a smaller town, pregnant and alone, with the War youkai not so far behind.

Hizashi was rare powerhouse of spiritual energy from a prominent family, more known for their wealth then for their power. He initially begun dating Inko for her name, the Midori name, hoping to gain a valuable heir.

Once Inko found out about it, she employed several family tricks for hiding. Everyone born into the Midori Clan worked and wandered for a time under that famous name. Once they desired to settle down, they become 'Midori_ya_' and lived under the radar. Those who had settled before them always helped to hide their family, helped make paper trails and documents that ensured there was no _possible_ way to link a member of the Midori Clan to those with the surname of Midoriya.

That was because of talisman and amulets and other objects of power which allowed them to be unrecognizable as a Midori and unremarkable as a Midoriya.

Thus Midoriya Inko moved into an abandoned shrine along with a family of strange people and no one thought anything of it.

Bakugou Katsuki was born first, with Midoriya Izumi several weeks after.

Thus, human and hybrid grew up together, having first met when they were infants. They had a special relationship, even through all the ups and downs that came from a youkai/human friendship.

The first and definitely the most serious incident between Katsuki and Izumi occured when they were five.

Demonic instincts didn't really kick it for another few years, Katsuki and Izumi were already accepted members of their little family group. Quite frankly, the two growing up with each other from birth would teach the humans of their group all the instincts and bonding that came with being youkai.

Thus, as this incident came out of nowhere, it was traumatic for everyone involved.

(_It would eventually motivate Izumi to write a book, one that, though not openly published, would help with human/youkai relationships for centuries to come)_

Being a War Aspect of youkai, Masaru was immune to fire. It was an immunity that didn't take long to build up as most War Aspects naturally held a resistance to flames. His wife, Mitsuki, being a Wrath Demon, was partially made of fire.

Thus, when Katsuki began to develop his own flames, they celebrated and bragged to their group of friends and allies.

When Katsuki, excited to show his new abilities off to his best friend, didn't hesitate to set himself on fire right in front of Izumi, he couldn't have known exactly how different humans were.

As his flames were a part of himself, they reacted as he would, by flaring to cover Izumi in a demonic version of a hug. Luckily, Izumi began to scream before they reached her. Unfortunately, such flames were of an extremely high temperature and burned the arms she flung up to protect her face.

It was not remorse or fear that Katuski felt while looking at his friend, rather confusion and bewilderment.

Wide emerald eyes stared in shock, tears already welling up and spilling over pale cheeks.

"Mi-chan?"

A stuttered, pained breath, words choked on a sob.

"K-kacchan? W-_why?_"

Katsuki only blinked as Izumi turned, stumbled and ran away. It was with more confusion, beginning to turn to hurt, that Katsuki moved to follow his nest-mate, only for her to sob and speed up in her retreat.

It was not until Katsuki made it home, where Izumi had been treated and given pain medication, unconscious but surrounded by the scents of medicine and pain that he began to think something had gone wrong somewhere. He did not yet understand yet that _he_ had caused the pain in his nest-mate's scent. That he had caused the scent of burned flesh, for all those he considered his own had proven immune to his flames. Even Aunt Inko.

He would not understand until his father pulled him aside with his Aunt Inko and sat him down to talk on the difference between human and youkai anatomy. He would not realize what he had done until his Aunt pulled up videos and burns and the aftereffects of them on humans. It would not be until his Aunt and Father pointed at the video, explained that Izumi had not grown into her spiritual powers yet, and thus could not shield herself from the heat and pain of his fire. That he had accidentally given his nest-mate burns nearing second degree in his attempt to greet her.

Katsuki, once he had understood how much more _fragile_ his human sister would be- would remain- until she gained her spiritual powers, and been unconsolable.

He'd erupted into tears and babbled apologies, desperately sobbing out, '_I didn't __**know!**_ _I didn't want to _hurt her'_,_ and curled as close to the bed Izumi had been laying in as he could get. He'd been terrified that he had driven his nest-mate, his _pack_, away with his unknowing actions, unsure if she would forgive him when she woke.

When he realized he would leave _scars_ on her arms from his actions, he had _keened_.

Those the world called 'demons' that is, youkai, did not scar unless the blow they were dealt was given with _intent._ Every attack a youkai lashed out with carried with it their own energy and power. If a youkai lashed out, intending to leave scars, to kill, to _maim_, their energy would carve into the enemy until it had succeeded in doing its master's bidding. A youkai would never heal with a scar unless they'd been attacked by someone who _meant_ to hurt them.

And he had _scarred_ his sister's arms, left a permanent mark on her skin that he had not intended. He'd never been so horrified and upset as he had been in that moment.

When Izumi woke, her arms near to almost healed and wrapped in bandages, Katsuki was right beside her, curled between her body and the door, with dried tear tracks on his face. The moment he registered she was awake, he'd curled against her body, careful of her burned arms, low whines and soft churs escaping his throat between babbled apologies and rushed explanations.

Once everything had been resolved, the children had helped strengthen their bonds by 'helping' Inko in the kitchen. It was this event that kickstarted Izumi's love of baking, that would eventually result in the creation of her own bakery-turned-eatery.

Izumi had found joy in kneading dough, laughing in the middle of flour fights with Kacchan _(after he had been told very firmly that flour was _flammable _and would explode if he used any flames near it)_, watching as her ingredients grew into confections and treats. She'd learned that every time she made some new dish, it would bring a smile to her family-pack's faces. The very first time she experimented with ingredients, she'd made Kacchan a sort of cream cheese-jalapeno cupcake due to his love of spicy things versus the more conventional sweets.

His entire face had softened and the smile on his face when he bit into it and it had _worked_...well. She'd known right them exactly what she wanted to do when she grew up.

* * *

Now, at twenty-two, she owned the PUB and was living her dream. That she could make the bakery-eatery a safe haven for those that needed it only made it better. Izumi made a point to layer a subtle bit of rune-work into the walls and across the ceiling that would tug those who _needed_ a place of rest of comfort, those that needed help, towards her shop. She kept a collection of cards and advertisements behind her counter that would direct humans and youkai alike to other safe spaces: abuse shelters, her mother's law office, food pantries, rehab centers, homeless shelters, clinics, housing developments, job offers, diners and hotels, among a host of other establishments.

That was the third reason the PUB was so popular.

Everyone _knew_ they could ask Midoriya Izumi where to go that they would be protected, and safe, where they could get help and no one would turn them away for being what they were. For being a youkai, the lover of a youkai, for being a human with problems of their own that had nothing to do with youkai at all. It was also known that if you wanted to _help_ youkai, to help at any of the establishments, Izumi would be able to direct people to the largest areas of need.

Needless to say, Midoriya Inko and Midoriya Izumi had the protection of quite a few more _supernaturally inclined_ individuals.

* * *

Izumi's bakery was open from six in the morning until six in the evening, though she had bakers coming in as early as one in the morning to get the days baking started. From there, she never really slowed down- a constant, steady stream of customers flowing in and out of her shop. She always had the ovens and the kitchen making a supply of treats, bakers working in shifts so that the shop never ran out of supplies.

Izumi's bakery was mostly staffed by youkai and Izumi was well loved by them. She was well known to be unbiased and fair to her nonhuman employees, able to respond and react to their needs and nonverbal cues without needing anything spelled out for her, and accommodating to any special needs a particular aspect may need.

She was one of the few humans- besides her mother, who worked as a lawyer that was well known to deal with demonic cases fairly, and as an advocate for equal and fair treatment of her supernatural clients- who was scent-marked by so many different demons. She was pack to only a small handful, but that didn't stop her entire staff from marking her as '_under their protection'_ all the same.

* * *

Izumi hadn't been expecting Kacchan to be waiting for her in front of her bakery, not that she was _surprised_, per say, but curious. Kacchan didn't much _like_ early morning, for all that he always ended up rising with the sun.

He didn't looked worried or stressed, so it couldn't be anything too bad, so she didn't hesitate to smile and wave to catch his attention. He returned the greeting easily, in the way his body language softened, the tribal markings under his eyes crinkled as he smirked, and his eyes lit up. He gave a sharp nod in her direction, hands left in his pockets.

"Yo, Mi-chan! I've got something to talk to you about."

Izumi blinked at his serious tone, but shrugged it off and reached for her keys to open the door.

"Sure, Kacchan, what is it?"

When Katsuki didn't immediately begin to speak, Izumi halted her actions and slowly turned around to stare at the hybrid. He seemed to be struggling with his words, an occurrence that very rarely happened.

Izumi didn't hesitate to reach behind the display case and grab one of his favorite treats- one of the very first 'specialty' treats she had put up for sale as soon as she opened- before walking to the table he was standing next to, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Sit," she said, setting the cupcake she had first made him all those years ago down across from her.

He, of course, had to sit backwards, but there was a strange look on his face as he faced her. He absently picked up the spicy treat taking a large bite before he spoke up.

"I have a friend," Katsuki began, ignoring as Izumi raised a single eyebrow, the faintest red dusting his cheeks, as he growled without heat, "Shut the fuck up Mi-chan. This friend ran into some trouble he couldn't quite get out of. He's in need of a job and housing."

He paused a moment, shooting a quick half-glare to the human before continuing.

"He's got a place to stay for a while, but finding a job hasn't gone over so well and I was wondering if you had any openings or shit you needed help with?"

Izumi blinked in surprise, her lips trying to pull into a smile that she fought down. Kacchan really was _such_ a worrier. "Who's the friend, Kacchan?"

Katsuki scowled at her- again, lacking any heat- before he answered, with barely a touch of reluctance. "Shitty Hair."

Izumi's face lit up as she she chirped with exaggerated brightness, "Oh! Your best friend! The one I bake extra treats for, since he kept stealing yours?"

The dusting or red on Katsuki's cheeks deepened and his lips peeled back in a snarl, before he growled out. "...Yeah."

Izumi clapped, leaning forward to nuzzle her nose against his own in a gesture they had kept up since they were children. Katsuki leaned into it, nuzzing back with a subtle purr vibrating his chest more than making any actual noise.

_(The greeting had originated when Katsuki's horns had grown in, large sweeping things on either side of his head, thick at the base but narrowing as they grew upwards, curving inward before the ends of his horns reversed direction, the end flaring outward instead. It had prevented them from pressing their foreheads together in greeting or promise as most other youkai did, so Izumi had leaned forward and nuzzled their noses together, and it stuck.)_

"Oh course! Does he have any experience running the front counter? I'd like more time to work in the back, experimenting and baking, so it would be nice to have another hand to run the front?"

Katsuki tilted his head before answering, consideration on his face. "I'm not sure if Shitty Hair has run anything like this, but he's worked as a barista before, also a host and a waiter. You know he's an Earth Dragon Youkai, so he doesn't really _need_ to work, but he likes people watching, the fucking nerd."

Izumi laughed. "I can work with that," she agreed with a smile, "Anything he doesn't know I can teach him. If he can get here, I'd be happy to hire him on, Kacchan."

A subtle twitch of his lips was the only sign of Katsuki's joy at her agreement, the three slashes of black under his eyes rippling slightly with the aborted smirk. His voice was soft and gruff when he met her eyes next, and offered, "Thanks Mi-chan."

Izumi hummed- her vocal cords couldn't quite manage a proper purr, so she'd improvised as a kid and kept the habit- nuzzling against Kacchan one last time before she turned towards the counter to prepare the rest of the displays and finish any prepwork for the morning rush.

"Of course, Kacchan. Kirishima-kun is welcome as soon as he's settled, just make sure you bring him in to introduce us."

Katsuki nodded as he stood, cleaning up the crumbs from his cupcake wrapper _(Izumi had named the jalapeno cupcake a 'Ground Zero' for the kick it held-and possibly in honor of the name Kacchan had used whenever they played hero games in their childhood, but-)_ with practiced ease before settling himself off to the side, away from the door and counter where everyone would rush in when the doors opened.

* * *

Kirishima Eijirou owed Bakugou a lot.

They'd been friends since they were fourteen, and pack since they were twenty. Eijirou hadn't regretted it since. When he called Baku up, the man hadn't hesitated to offer him an out, arranging a place for Eijirou to stay for a bit, until he could get himself a job set up and arrange his own place. He hadn't expected his packmate to arrange a job offer on his behalf either, but he'd be thankful to take the extra help.

That he had taken Eijirou's habit of people watching, and his joy in socialization into account only highlighted how good of a packmate the blonde was.

And- on top of everything else- Bakugou had set him up to work at his _nest-mate's _bakery. Kirishima had been trying to meet the woman for _years_, but things just kept popping up any time they tried. He was excited to meet her.

Even _with_ Katsuki's protective rumbling warning in his ear.

Still...when he finally did show up, he..._had not_ expected what he could sense three blocks out from the bakery. The little lady was a spiritual _powerhouse._ At first he had thought it was another person- maybe someone who lived in close proximity to the bakery, or wards that had been placed a set number of blocks away, but...as he'd gotten closer she'd realized it was power bleeding _off_ of someone.

Into the air, and pulsing with the feel of the earth beneath his feet. It was such a natural, easy, blending sort of energy, like nature and fresh sunshine, that Eijirou was certain he never would have even sensed it if he had not been an _earth_ natured dragon. He whistled softly as he stared up at the _Plus Ultra Bakery_, stretching his senses over the complicated and subtle rune and ward work this little lady had put into her sanctuary.

And it _was_ a sanctuary, a refugee for those that needed it, sending a soft but far reaching sirens' call across the city. Eijirou's wings fluttered and settled against his back, relaxing under the thrumming energy.

"Your sister is a _beast_, Baku." Eijirou's voice was edging towards awed as he lost himself in the complicated strings of power layering over the entire area.

Katsuki purred, a low toned pleased note in his voice as he replied, proud and fierce. "Fuck yeah she is. Come on shitty hair, I promised to introduce you."

Katsuki took one last chance to pin him with a warning look-_be good to her shitty hair, that's my sister, she's my pack too-_ and Eijirou rumbled softly in acquiescence.

Katsuki nodded sharpy and turned to push the door open a sharp- "_Mi-chan! I brought shitty hair!"_\- ringing through the area. Kirishima took note that none of the workers he was sure were present seemed remotely surprised to see Katsuki storming in before the store even opened, nor that he was screaming for their boss.

Kirishima blinked, taking in the various scents of the building, ignoring the ripple of the wards and runes checking him out, as he adjusted to the new scents in the air. It was a struggle to keep his wings from mantling outward in reaction to the stimulus on top of the feeling of the wards sliding over his scales and skin. He only pulled his attention back to his surroundings when a soft call of-

"_Coming, Kacchan!"_

-echoed from the back room before a petite woman stepped out, her white pants and shirt hidden behind the deep blue apron with golden thread reading '_Plus Ultra Bakery'_ across the top with a smaller _Izumi_ stitched on the left of the apron. She was wiping her hands off on the apron absently as she stepped into sight and her entire face lit up at the sight of them.

She stepped right into Katsuki's space and leaned up to nuzzle their noses together, and Kirishima could hear the subvocal purr that escaped the bonde's chest as he leaned down and nuzzled his nest-mate back.

She left a smear of white flour on her brother's face, but Katsuki absently wiped it away without a care as he offered, "Mi-chan, this is Shitty Hair, Shitty Hair, this is my nest-mate Midoriya Izumi. Hurt her, and I will break your fucking face."

Kirishima rolled his eyes fondly as he easily introduced himself, half sweeping his wings out as he dipped into a bow that kept his eyes on her, and head up, "Kirishima Eijirou, it's nice to finally meet you!"

At the same moment Midoriya had rolled her eyes, and quipped, "Kacchan, you need to stop saying that to every male you introduce me to! Nice to meet you too, Kirishima-kun. I look forward to working with you."

She didn't even give his more youkai features- the great wings he had folded back, the grey tribal-like markings following the bottom curve of his eyes on the outside corners, the red diamond dead center of his forehead, the two horns curling back from his forehead, the right snapped in half, fading from his skin tone to a black near the break, while the other horn had that same ombre effect fading from skin tone at the base up to a dark brown-red, nor the sharp very draconic teeth in his mouth- a second look as she motioned towards the back, giving an open invitation deeper into her territory.

"I've got some stuff in the oven if you'd like to come on back with me? I'd be happy to introduce you to the workers here, and show you some of the things you'd be seeing a lot of if you choose to stick around? Kacchan, you didn't need to bring him in at two in the morning. The shops not even open yet, it's all baking."

Eijirou watched their interactions with facinasion, observing the subtle bumping of arms and the absent way they brushed their hands over one another, all the nonverbal cues they were picking up off one another, and _responding_ to.

Katsuki he expected, but Midoriya- a _human_, abit a very powerful one- was responding just as well. Even more impressive to Eijirou, she was doing so without the changing scents he could pick up, and without the hearing that allowed youkai to pick up the subvocal communications shared between each other. It was pure skill at _reading body language._

Baku rolled his eyes a hint of flames in their depths marking his irritation, however mild. "If I waited until the fucking store opened, I'd never fucking see you again. Everybody in this fucking city stops in to talk to you."

The human threw her head back and laughed merrily.

"That's true. Anyway- Kirishima-kun! This is the morning shift of course- they usually come in around one and they'll be here until seven or eight to help me get set up for morning rush hour."

She nodded to the three youkai who were all either manning a mixing bowl, pulling things out of the oven, or putting things into it. Eijirou looked at them, delighted and pleased by the inclusion of other youkai. Izumi laughed at his expression, easily motioning towards them.

"That's Shinsou Hitoshi, Tokoyami Fumikage, and Echo. Gentlemen, this is Kirishima Eijirou. He'll be joining us to work the counter."

The other youkai paused long enough to offer various greetings, though Shinsou quipped a quick "Does that mean you'll be experimenting with recipes in the mornings again?"

Midoriya's smile was bright, her energy rippling with joy, as she answered, "I hope to!"

The pleased rumbling from all three of the youkai made Eijirou curious, a subtle chirp bringing the attention of the bat youkai to him as Echo answered the unasked question "Izu-hime lets us try her creations before they go on the floor. She's amazing in the kitchen." the bat's tone turned longing near the end, and the near blind eyes hazing further with desire.

Eijirou smiled, appreciating how comfortable the other youkai were in Midoriya's presence, none of them hesitating, or trying to hide their other features. The entire back room smelled of baking things and a mix of emotions all falling somewhere on the content and happy side of the scale.

"I look forward to it." He grinned, and _meant_ it. It was a rare, _rare_, working place that radiated such a sense of welcome and happiness, and had the scents to go along with it.

This was also such a place where it was unnecessary to hide his nature. He had no need for concealment, as the wards around the building did it for him. He was free to come in as he was. No one would bat an eye at his horns, his wings, sharpened teeth or the markings on his face.

And when the oven dinged, and he got to try the blackberry and lemon marbled cake, Kirishima decided this was going to be an _excellent_ decision, a low rumbling purr escaping his chest as the flavors chased each other over his tongue, eyes closed as he relished the treat.


End file.
